


Secret

by witchymarvelspacecase



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-07-08
Packaged: 2019-06-07 12:45:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15219437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchymarvelspacecase/pseuds/witchymarvelspacecase
Summary: You’ve got a secret, it’s not big, but the team won’t let it go.





	Secret

****Another year. This one hadn’t been the worst by far, but it certainly hadn’t been awesome. Your family was back together at least. Your chosen family anyway. Your genetic family was the reason you were feeling the way you were. You were sure that they had their reasons, by tomorrow you may have even been able to understand them, but at the moment, all you felt was anger, and rejection.

You walked the floors of the tower, hoping against all hope that you didn’t run into any of your teammates. You didn’t want to explain your mood to anyone, because that would lead to an explanation as to why you hadn’t told them. You’d been on the team for years, but kept your distance emotionally. You were more than willing to talk to them, and help them with their problems, but refrained from sharing much about yourself. You didn’t think your problems really mattered either way, no sense bothering anyone else with them. Especially something this stupid. 

Of course, luck wasn’t with you. Tony approached and spotted you before you could duck down a hallway. 

“Hey sweetheart! What’s got you looking so sour?” You were not a spy, you couldn’t hide your emotions for shit.

“It’s nothing, Tony. Don’t worry about it.”

“Too late, I’m worried. So tell me what’s up.”

“Seriously, Tony. It’s not a big deal.”

“Well if it’s not a big deal, you should have no problem telling me then,” Tony was almost grinning as he closed in on you. You started to back away, trying to escape the conversation, but he persisted.

“It’s really none of your business, Tony.”

“What’s none of Tony’s business?”

_ “Motherfucker,” _ you thought. Tony had succeeded in herding you into the common room, which just happened to be full of your teammates. 

“If it’s none of Tony’s business, what makes you think it’s any of yours, Rhodey?” You could feel your tone getting snippier, but it was getting more annoying. You just wanted to be alone.

“She won’t tell me why she’s upset,” Tony explained.

“Looks like she’s getting more upset. Maybe you oughta lay off,” Bucky muttered perceptively. It didn’t look like anyone would be listening to him though. He pulled his phone out and texted the one person who wasn’t in the room. The one person who would possibly be able to get through to you.

Clint and Natasha were both looking at you with small smiles on their faces. You  _ knew _ they’d know what was up by the end of the day at the latest. Sam was looking at you with an odd expression on his face, and Wanda… well she probably knew  _ exactly _ what was going on. 

You all but sprinted to your room. Bucky thought about following, but chose to stop the others from following instead.

“Leave ‘er alone, guys. She’ll tell us when she’s ready. I texted Steve.” That last comment received nods, and though no one looked all that happy about it, they all turned back to whatever it was they had been doing before you came into the room.

…

“ _ Still no messages from mom or dad. Real shocker there,” _ you thought glumly as you changed into pajamas. It was only 1:30, but you didn’t give a shit. As far as you were concerned, the day was over, should have been over before it started. You honestly wondered why you even cared anymore; why you bothered to hope this year would be any different. You told yourself not to care, that you  _ didn’t _ care, every year, and every year it hurt anyway.

You curled up in bed, turned on your T.V. and pulled out your laptop. No sense not getting any work done; nothing better to do.

Your mood hadn’t improved any when there was a knock at your door an hour later.

“Hey Doll, you in there?”

“Yes, I’m in here, Steve,” you said. If it had been anyone else, you would have had FRIDAY lock the door, but Steve was a different story. 

There were few people who you’d let in, but Steve… you’d never had someone who offered to help as often, or meant their offers as much as Steve did. 

“What’s goin’ on?” Steve asked as he opened the door just enough to lean on the door jamb. 

“It’s really nothing Steve, everyone just-”

“I know you want me to think it’s nothing, but I don’t. Whatever it is made you upset. I know you don’t like to share, I don’t know why though. I know you never really tell anyone about your life, I wish you would.”

And the tears poured out then. That was the last push your emotions could take.

“Aw, Doll. Don’t cry,” Steve came in your room then. Normally he’d wait for an invitation first, but the image of you tears pouring down your face was too much to handle. He strode over to your bed and gathered you into his arms before sitting down and pulling you into his lap. “Whatever it is, we’ll fix it. It’s okay.”

You hiccuped. Steve was holding you, running his hands through your hair, and rubbing your back as you cried, and he didn’t even know what you were crying about. He didn’t seem to care either, he wasn’t pestering you for details, just offering comfort. That just made the tears worse. You were practically sobbing when you pulled away from Steve.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay honey,” he moved his hands to frame your face, brushing the tear tracks from under your eyes.

“It’s not, Steve. It’s not.”

“What’s wrong. Please just tell me.” He looked so sad, a little lost even. 

“It’s- it’s my- it’s just me, Steve. It’s me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you. Now what’s got you so sad.”

You weren’t sure how you started the story, but you ended up spilling it all out. It felt even stupider when you said it though. Here you were, an adult woman, in tears because your family had forgotten your birthday. Again.

You didn’t tell your teammates when your birthday was. You were so used to trying to pretend that the day didn’t exist that you simply chose not to mention it to anyone. You didn’t know how to handle attention, let alone  _ positive _ attention on any day, let alone your birthday. You knew Tony would throw a party, and honestly, although the idea made you smile, you were terrified of it happening. You’d never had a birthday party.And starting with a  _ Tony Stark  _ birthday party would be far too overwhelming. 

By the time you finished your explanation, you felt like a complete child. Not only had you basically thrown a fit over being ignored, it was over something as silly as a  _ birthday. _

But Steve just pulled you back into his arms, his hands returning to your back, and the bac of your head. “Jesus, I’m sorry Steve. You don’t have to sit here and listen to me whine.”

“You’re not whining, Doll. And I am gonna sit right here and hold you until you’re feeling better, and then I’m gonna go and have a little conversation with your parents.” You giggled a bit, though your throat still felt a bit rough from crying. “You have a right to be upset. You have a right to feel angry, and sad, and anything else.”

“You don’t have to-” 

“I know I don’t  _ have _ to. I  _ want _ to.”

You pulled back again and blinked several times, staring at Steve.

“You never let anyone in, Doll. You don’t ask for help, ever, but you help all the time. Just let me in. Let me help.”

Your eyes darted between his. He didn’t sound like he was lying, he didn’t  _ look _ like he was lying, but how could that be the truth? You’d never heard it before, from anyone, let alone  _ Steve Rogers _ . His hands had moved to the sides of your face again, and his eyes were watching yours.

“You don’t believe me?” His brow furrowed, but he didn’t talk again, just leaned forward to press his forehead to yours. “I’m just gonna have to prove it to you then.”

He didn’t leave your side for the rest of the afternoon. HE stayed in your room with you, watching old TV shows until you were ready to show your face to the others. He stood right beside you when you left your room to see all the concerned faces of your teammates waiting in the common room, and he kept an arm draped over your shoulders as you explained your earlier reaction to them.

As you’d anticipated, Tony  _ did _ want to throw you a party, and when he heard you’d never had one before he wanted to make it  _ huge _ . But when you told him that you wouldn’t be comfortable with it, he let it go, pulling you into a hug instead.

“Next year,” he muttered in your ear, making you smile. 

Take-out, movies, and drinks followed. Everyone piled into the theater room in pjs with pillows and blankets. You made a pillow fort with Bucky and Steve and Sam gave you a shit-ton of your favorite candy. 

By the time you were asleep, you’d been smiling and laughing for hours. You were curled into Steve’s side, your face pressed into his neck as your breath evened out. 

Steve held you tight to his side. He’d thanked Bucky for texting him, but he wasn’t sure if he could ever thank him enough. He hadn’t managed to work up enough courage to ask you out, but there was time for that tomorrow.

“Happy Birthday, Doll,” he said quietly before pressing a kiss to the top of your head.


End file.
